Apparatus and method to prevent marring of trim and furnishings by a vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner protective guard is disclosed. My invention will save homeowners and business owners a lot of time and money because it eliminates the frequency of repainting, repairing, refinishing, retouching their baseboard, doors, and the bases of their furniture. A padded non-scuff material selected to be resistant to transfer to a finished surface of a structure through a frictional contact with the finished surface has a length corresponding to a front face and at least a portion of a side face of the suction head. Preferably the padded non-scuff material is felt.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/857,644 filed Jun. 5, 2019, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to head guards for vacuum cleaners.

When a vacuum cleaner is moving back and forth for cleaning a floor, the cleaning head will frequently strike against baseboards, doors, furnishings, and other finished surfaces. The plastic head of such vacuum will frequently cause black marks, dark lines, scratches, and other marring of the finished surfaces. The vacuum head may also produce nicks or dents the legs of furniture and table bases when striking the same.

Repainting, repairing, refinishing, and retouching the finished surfaces is a time consuming, and costly, and impractical, particularly when the refinishing must be repeated frequently due to continued use of the vacuum cleaner.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved. protective guard for a vacuum cleaner head that eliminates marring of finished surfaces due to contact with the vacuum cleaner head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a guard for a suction head of a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The guard includes an elongate strip of a padded material dimensioned to fit about at least a forward face and a forward portion of a lateral side of the suction head. The padded material selected from a non-scuff material resistant to transfer to a finished surface of a structure through frictional contact with the finished surface. An adhesive layer is disposed on an inner surface of the elongate strip. The adhesive layer is selected to adhere the elongate strip to the suction head of the vacuum cleaner.

In some embodiments, a release layer covers the adhesive layer, and is removable from the adhesive layer.

In a preferred embodiment, the padded material is a felt fabric. The felt fabric has a thickness of at least ⅛ inches. The felt fabric may also have a width of between ⅝ and ¾ inches.

In other aspects of the invention, a method of preventing marring of a finished surface from contact with a suction head of a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The method includes measuring a length of a padded non-scuff material that selected to be resistant to transfer to the finished surface of a structure through a frictional contact with the finished surface. The length corresponds to a front face and at least a portion of a side face of the suction head.

The method may also include applying an adhesive layer on an inner face of the padded non-scuff material to the front face and the at least a portion of the side face of the suction head.

In some embodiments, the padded non-scuff material is a felt material.

In other aspects of the invention, a suction head for a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The suction head has a front face, a side face, and an opening through which a vacuum source entrains debris and is drawn through the suction head. A protective guard is applied to the front face and at least a portion of the side face of the suction head. The protective guard is formed of an elongate length of a non-scuff material resistant to transfer to a finished surface through frictional contact with the finished surface. Preferably, the non-scuff resistant material is felt. An adhesive layer is disposed between the non-scuff material and the front face and the at least a portion of the side face.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the protective guard for a vacuum cleaner in use.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A-4G are perspective views showing alternate configurations of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provides an improved apparatus and method for protecting finished surfaces from marring due to a contact with a vacuum cleaner head. A vacuum guard according to aspects of the present invention provides a barrier that protects the baseboard, legs of furniture, doors, and table bases from such damages, thus eliminating the need for frequent repainting of baseboards, doors, trim, and furnishings.

Employment of the vacuum guard of the present invention will save homeowners and business owners a lot of time and money because it eliminates the frequency of repainting, repairing, refinishing, retouching their baseboard, doors, trim, and furnishings.

As seen in reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1-4G, a protective vacuum guard 10 for a vacuum cleaner includes an elongate strip of a felt material 12 that is dimensioned to fit about at least a forward and a portion of a lateral side of a suction head 11 a vacuum cleaner. The suction head 11 has an opening through which air is drawn under suction to entrain debris and draw the debris into the vacuum cleaner. An inner surface of the elongate strip of the felt material 12 has an adhesive layer 14 applied thereto. The adhesive layer 14 adheres the protective guard 10 to the suction head 11 of the vacuum cleaner. A release layer may be provided to cover the adhesive layer 14 until the user is ready to apply the protective guard 10 to the vacuum head 11. The material 12 may also include a non-scuff material that will not be transferred to the finished surface through frictional contact with the finished surface.

The elongate strip of the felt material 12 may have a thickness of at least ⅛ inches, so as to provide a protective cushion between the suction head 11 of the vacuum cleaner and prevent marring of the finished surfaces of a dwelling and furnishings disposed therein. The elongate strip of the felt material 12 has a width of between about ½″-1″, that may vary along a longitudinal length of the elongate strip. As previously indicated, a longitudinal length of the elongate strip of the felt material 12 is dimensioned to cover a front and at least a portion of the sides of the suction head 11 of the vacuum cleaner. As will be appreciated the elongate strip 12 need not be a contiguous strip when applied to the vacuum cleaner head 11.

A method of protecting finished surfaces of a dwelling may according to aspects of the invention includes the steps of applying an inner adhesive layer 14 of an elongate strip of felt material 12 to a front and at least a portion of a side edge of a suction head 11. The elongate strip of felt material 12 is measured and cut to fit the parameter of the vacuum cleaner suction head 11. Once the user arrives at the appropriate length the release layer covering of the adhesive backing 14 is removed. The adhesive layer 14 of the elongate strip 12 is attached to the suction head 11 of vacuum cleaner's base, being sure to firmly attaching it by pressing slightly from one end of the elongate strip 12 to the other end. The method may also include removing the elongate strip of felt material 12 from the suction head 11. Applying a subsequent elongate strip of felt material 12 as a replacement to the removed elongate strip of felt material 12.

The vacuum guard 10 is used to wrap around the outer edges of a vacuum cleaner's suction head 11 and may be pre-cut to the appropriate length or provide the strip long enough to wrap around all makes and models of the vacuum cleaners on the market). One simple peel off the release layer from the adhesive layer 14 on an inner face the elongate strip 12 and press firmly along the suction head 11.

The purpose of adhering the vacuum guard 10 around the suction head 11 is to protect the baseboards from getting black lines and/or black marks caused by the hard suction head edges when one vacuums back and forth near them. The vacuum guard 10 helps prevent damage and consequent the frequent re-painting of the baseboards. It also protects the furniture's legs and bases being dinged up or damaged from the vacuum's base.

As seen in reference to FIGS. 4A-4G, the elongate strip 12 can be designed with decorative patterns for its border/edge such as a wave pattern, zig zag, floral, heart, etc.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A guard for a suction head of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: an elongate strip of a padded material dimensioned to fit about at least a forward face and a forward portion of a lateral side of the suction head, the padded material selected from a non-scuff material that will not be transferred to a finished surface of a structure through frictional contact with the finished surface; and an adhesive layer disposed on an inner surface of the elongate strip; the adhesive layer selected to adhere the elongate strip to the suction head of the vacuum cleaner.
 2. The guard of claim 1, further comprising: a release layer covers the adhesive layer, wherein the release layer is removable from the adhesive layer.
 3. The guard of claim 1, wherein the padded material is a felt fabric.
 4. The guard of claim 3, wherein the felt fabric has a thickness of at least ⅛ inches.
 5. The guard of claim 4, wherein the felt fabric has a width of between ⅝ and ¾ inches.
 6. A method of preventing marring of a finished surface by contact with a suction head of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: measuring a length of a padded non-scuff material that selected to be resistant to transfer to a finished surface of a structure through a frictional contact with the finished surface, the length corresponding to a front face and at least a portion of a side face of the suction head.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: applying an adhesive layer on an inner face of the padded non-scuff material to the front face and the at least a portion of the side face of the suction head.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the padded non-scuff material is a felt material.
 9. A suction head for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a front face, a side face, and an opening through which a vacuum source is entrain debris that is drawn through the suction head; and a protective guard applied to the front face and at least a portion of the side face, the protective guard formed of an elongate length of a non-scuff material resistant to transfer to a finished surface through frictional contact with the finished surface.
 10. The suction head of claim 9, wherein the non-scuff material is felt.
 11. The suction head of claim 10, further comprising: an adhesive layer disposed between the non-scuff material and the front face and the at least a portion of the side face. 